A heartbreaking tribute has been paid to Doris Bridgehouse, who was killed by a car travelling 88mph over the legal speed limit.
The 82-year-old grandmother died in a fatal collision after her Kia Venga was hit head-on by an Audi S3 travelling at speeds up to 118mph.
The accident occurred on Friday 13 May 2022 at around 10.55 on Halifax Road in Rochdale. The road has a 30mph speed limit.
On Tuesday 14 November 2023 the Audi driver, 24-year-old Trent Jason Simm, was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years after his release.
As well as being charged for Causing Death by Dangerous Driving for the death of Doris Bridgehouse, Simm was also found guilty of Causing Serious Injury by Dangerous Driving to two passengers in Doris’s vehicle, one being Doris’s daughter Amanda.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard on Tuesday that Doris had been out visiting her grandson’s university showcase and was driving home with them.
On the night of the fatal accident, Simm had been driving at excessive speed when he lost control on a nearside bend, crossing onto the opposing carriage way, where he collided with Doris’s car.
Emergency services provided first aid to the three occupants of the Kia, but tragically Doris was pronounced dead at the scene. The passengers of both vehicles were taken to hospital with series injuries.
When police officers initially spoke to Simm, he claimed ‘the pedals got stuck, and I’ve come round the corner on the wrong side of the road’.
Trent Simm and Doris Bridgehouse’s cars after the collision. Credit: GMP
At court, Doris’s daughter Amanda read a statement to the court and defendant, highlighting the severe injuries for her and emotional trauma for the rest of her family.
She detailed her grief, memory loss, and the physical and emotional toll of the accident, and said she hopes Simm will ‘bear the weight of the consequences for the rest of his life’.
Doris Bridgehouse was a beloved nurse and cherished family member who was described as a ‘vibrant and kind’ individual.
Addressing Simm, Amanda said: “It has changed my family and I forever, given my son Max the most dreadful, shocking, and incomprehensible memories and had a catastrophic impact on both my son’s lives.
“You have robbed me and my sons of ‘goodbye’ to Mum and Nan and me of the being the Mum that I want to be to my sons right now. This is very difficult, and you are going to have to live with your actions for the rest of your life.
“As much as you have destroyed the dynamics of our family, I think that you have also destroyed a part of your own and your family’s. I do not feel sorry for you at all; driving at those speeds you are liable to kill someone, and you did.
“So, actions have consequences and here we are. Rest In Peace, Mum.”
Trent Simm has been jailed for causing the death of Doris Bridgehouse. Credit: GMP
Sergeant Louise Warhurst from GMP’S Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “What had started out as a special celebratory occasion for Doris and her family ended in tragedy when through no fault of her own, she encountered Trent Simm driving his Audi S3 at manifestly dangerous speeds.
“Trent Simm was treating the public highway as his personal racetrack, reaching astonishing speeds of 118mph in a 30mph residential area. He had no regard whatsoever for the safety of all other members of the public using the roads in Rochdale that evening.
“I would like to thank all the members of the public that tried to assist Doris and her family at the scene of this collision and everyone that came forward to assist the police with their investigation. I would like to thank the family, friends and loved ones of Doris, who have conducted themselves with dignity throughout this investigation.
“I would also like to remind those who think they can ignore the speed limit to think twice before using their car at high speeds. Your actions can devastate innocent members of the public in a split second and no one deserves to lose a loved one this way.Dangerous drivers will not be tolerated in our communities.
“Greater Manchester Police will deal with them robustly to keep people safe from illegal and irresponsible drivers.”
Urgent appeal issued following serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on M60
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision on the M60.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are appealing for information and dash-cam footage, as well as urging witnesses to come forward, after a motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries during a collision on the M60 this past Saturday (12 July).
Shortly after 1:40pm, police were called a report of a collision involving a motorbike on the anti-clockwise side of the motorway, between junctions 25 and 24.
When patrols responded and arrived on the scene, they found a man in his 50s – believed to be the motorcyclist – with life-threatening injuries, and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment in an air ambulance, with his family being informed in the process.
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on the M60 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The M60 was closed in one direction, between Bredbury and Denton, following the crash from around 2:30pm onwards, and all traffic was diverted while investigations were ongoing.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is in the process of conducting enquiries, and at this time, it isn’t believed that any other vehicle was involved in this incident.
This is why police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who has dash-cam footage, to get in on contact.
Police have also thanked the members of the public who stopped by the roadside to give the man initial first aid before emergency services arrived.
Police issue update on Oasis arrests and fence-jumpers
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester Police have shared an update on the arrests made at the opening two nights of Oasis Live ’25.
More than 100,000 people have flocked up to Heaton Park on Friday and Saturday evening for the first two of five Oasis reunion shows.
And largely, things have gone without a hitch, with only 15 arrests made so far.
The majority of these are arrests on suspicion of fraud, with five men and a woman in three separate incidents attempting to access the Oasis gig with fake accreditation.
Another man was arrests on suspicion of assaulting a member of security staff.
Two more men were arrested on suspicion of assault – a section 18 inside the Oasis gig at Heaton Park, and another for a section 47 outside.
Police have also said that ‘a number of people’ have attempted to access the gigs without tickets, with a perimeter gate breached on Saturday night, but ‘failed to do so’.
Five drones which breached airspace restrictions were seized on Friday.
A Section 34 Dispersal Order, which gives officers the power to direct individuals to leave a specified area and not return for 48 hours, has been in place for each night of the Oasis concerts so far.
This will be re-assessed before each concert this week, with the Gallagher brothers back at Heaton Park on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
GMP around Manchester ahead of the Oasis reunion shows. Credit: GMP
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “We have been planning for these events for several months, working with partners and the organisers to make sure everyone can enjoy the concerts safely. To that end, I’m pleased to say that the first two Oasis homecoming events have been a success.
“What has been especially pleasing is how more than 100,000 people have enjoyed these iconic events safely and without trouble.
“We will have a highly visible presence in and around Heaton Park, and across the city, to ensure the next three events continue to pass safely.
“A number of people without tickets attempted to gain entry through a perimeter gate on Saturday night but failed to do so.
Credit: The Manc GroupCredit: Tiktok benwalkerofficialPolice say ‘just 15’ arrests made at Oasis so far
“We continue to support the event organisers and the local authority with their plans preventing any unauthorised access to the arena site.
“While arrests have thankfully been minimal, we have had to take some suspects to custody, including one after an alleged assault on a steward on Saturday night. We will not tolerate any abuse of anyone doing their job.
“On Friday night we also dealt with a number of breaches of airspace restrictions involving drones where our officers seized five drones and spoke to two other pilots.
“We continue to have airspace restrictions in place on the nights of the concerts and anyone found breaching the one-and-a-half-mile restriction zone could face prosecution.”